Why did Christ teach the disciples for 40 days after He had risen?

What did Christ teach them during this time?

What did the disciples do for the 10 days before Pentecost, without Christ?

What is the parallel for us today?

Let’s start with the time shortly after Christ was raised.

The Father is now our Father and our God.

Joh 20:17  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

Mat 28:5  But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Mat 28:6  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Christ was going to appear to them on the way to Galilee.

Mat 28:7  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

Christ appeared to the women.

Mat 28:9  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Two of them saw Christ in another form.

Mar 16:12  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.

Mar 16:13  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

Luk 24:15  So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

They did not know it was Christ.

Luk 24:16  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

Luk 24:17  And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

The men told Christ about the events.

Luk 24:18  Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

Luk 24:19  And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

Luk 24:20  and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

The disciples did not appear to know about His being raised.

Luk 24:21  But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

Luk 24:22  Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.

Luk 24:23  When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.

Luk 24:24  And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

Christ was upset because they did not believe the prophets. This is very interesting, the scriptures show that it is possible to have the earnest of the Spirit, which the disciples had at that time, and yet have unbelief.

This is the same today, many in the church at this time have the earnest of the Spirit, and yet do not believe God. However, it is very important to understand that before God gives the Holy Spirit of Power, He expects us to believe Him.

Luk 24:25  Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

Luk 24:26  Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”

Christ taught them from Moses and the prophets, explaining to them everything concerning Him.

Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Let’s look at the fact that even though the disciples had the earnest of the Spirit they did not understand.

Now let’s compare that with the scriptures as above, Christ appeared to them, yet they did not know it was Him.

Luk 24:16  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

Mary thought He was the gardener, the disciples did not know it was Him, when He appeared to them at a later time, that is because their eyes were closed to seeing Him.

It is the same today, even though members have the earnest of the Spirit, they cannot see the truth of Christ, the new knowledge about Him, until He opens their eyes to understanding. It is extremely important that we understand that this new knowledge can only be seen, understood and heard when God opens our eyes, hearts and minds.

Luk 24:31  Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

And again a little later.

Luk 24:45  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

The end time knowledge about Christ is only revealed by the Father and Christ, when They decide to do so. We just can’t stumble onto it, we just can’t understand the plain and simple truth about the Father or Christ unless it is revealed by either the Father or Christ. This is amazing, but nonetheless true. We have tried and tried to show people which we think have the earnest of the Spirit, the end time knowledge about God. We have not given them our ideas, but proved what we are saying by the scriptures, but we may as well have whistled jigs to a milestone, because the knowledge had not been revealed to them. This will be the case every time until God opens their minds to understanding. AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE THE EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT.

Mat 16:17  Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Mat 11:27  All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Back to the forty days.

They wanted Christ to stay with them.

Luk 24:28  Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

Luk 24:29  But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

When they understood that it was Christ He left them.

Luk 24:30  Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

Luk 24:31  Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

They returned to Jerusalem.

Luk 24:32  And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

Luk 24:33  So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,

The men tell of what had happened.

Luk 24:34  saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

Luk 24:35  And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Luk 24:36  Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”

The disciples were afraid.

Luk 24:37  But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

Luk 24:38  And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

Luk 24:39  Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

Luk 24:40  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

They still did not believe.

Luk 24:41  But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?”

Luk 24:42  So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.

Luk 24:43  And He took it and ate in their presence.

Jesus tells the disciples that He told them about these events, when He was with them, and all these things were written about Him in Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.

Luk 24:44  Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

From then on, the disciples understood.

Luk 24:45  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Christ explained that it was necessary for Him to suffer and rise from the dead.

Luk 24:46  Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

They were going to tell the world of these things, they were witnesses of these events.

Luk 24:47  and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luk 24:48  And you are witnesses of these things.

Mar 16:15  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Mar 16:16  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

The Holy Spirit of power was to come soon.

Luk 24:49  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Luk 24:50  And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Luk 24:51  Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

The disciples were very happy now that they knew what their job was. Before Christ instructed them regarding their responsibilities to preach the gospel and to feed the sheep, they did not know what they should do spiritually. When they knew what to do they had great joy.

Luk 24:52  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

During these 40 days Christ spoke to the disciples about many things. The following verse shows just how much Jesus taught them.

Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

During this time Christ explained the words of eternal life to the disciples. To know and understand this knowledge we must have the Holy Spirit of power. The words of eternal life are contained in the Old Testament as well as the new, once the understanding is unveiled by God.

Even though the disciples would not receive the Holy Spirit of power until Pentecost, Christ opened their mind to the knowledge of eternal life at the Wave Sheaf, because at that time God the Father became their God, before this time Christ was their God.

Joh 20:17  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

These 40 days was a period of great learning for the disciples, they could understand things once Christ opened their eyes and they were able to grasp things now that they just could not understand before this.

During the 10 days before receiving the Holy Spirit of power the disciples spent the time in the temple praising and blessing God.

Luk 24:53  and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Act 1:1  The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Act 1:2  until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,

Notice that during the 40 days, Christ spoke to them concerning the kingdom.

Act 1:3  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

It appears that the disciples simply did not know what was required of them even after Christ had appeared to them. They were going to return to their employment of fishing.

Joh 21:3  Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

Notice that Christ had appeared to them twice before this particular time.

Joh 21:14  This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Christ explains to them that they were to feed the members of the church which Christ had given them, and would continue to add to the church.

Joh 21:15  So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

Christ told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Spirit of Power.

Act 1:4  And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;

Act 1:5  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The disciples thought that Christ would restore the kingdom to Israel.

Act 1:6  Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Act 1:7  And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

The disciples receive their commission.

Act 1:8  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Act 1:9  Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Act 1:10  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,

Act 1:11  who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Act 1:12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.

While Christ was on earth with the disciples before His death, many of the things that He taught the disciples they simply could not understand. They had the earnest of the Spirit at that time, so we might question why they could not understand the things that Christ taught them. The reason for this, is that many of these things which Christ taught could not be understood without the Holy Spirit of Power or Truth. This had not been given to them during the time of Christs ministry. They received the Holy Spirit of Power or Truth, at Pentecost.

Once Christ opened their mind to understanding the scriptures, and the disciples received the Holy Spirit of Power they could then understand the teachings of Christ, the Holy Spirit brought the teachings of Christ to their remembrance. However, remember and mark this point well, that what Christ had been teaching the disciples when He was on earth, were things pertaining to eternal life, and that is why the disciples could not understand or accept these things.

It is the same with us today, we cannot understand or accept the knowledge of eternal life until God opens our minds to this knowledge.

The disciples were given knowledge that was to be lost by the following eras of the church. This knowledge will be restored in the final era of God’s end time church.

Today, when we have the earnest of the Spirit, we can understand, accept and retain knowledge which pertains to past eras and our present era, but things which have been lost, are not accepted or believed by us. These things will be restored and believed by the end time era of God’s church.

All things will be restored, and the knowledge which is to be restored, was known by the disciples, they could not believe it or retain it until Christ opened their minds to understand, and then received the Holy Spirit of power, and then they were able to accept and believe it. They then went ahead and taught it to the brethren, they fed the sheep, they preached the gospel. Then in the first era of God’s church, that knowledge was lost. This was the knowledge of the first love. The Father.

Joh 14:26  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Once they received the Holy Spirit of Power or truth, they could not only remember the teachings of Christ, but they were then able to go forth and teach what Christ taught them, they could be witnesses of what Christ did and they were to go to all the world. They could not do this until they received the Holy Spirit of Power, this is what enabled them to do these things.

Until they received the Holy Spirit of Power, they were ready to give it all up and go fishing, thinking that all was lost, little did they know that all was just beginning. They were to be given power at Pentecost. The power to teach people the truths of God’s laws, the power to teach people what Christ taught them, while He was on earth. The power to be witnesses for Christ.

Once we have the Holy Spirit of Power we have the ability to do whatever God wants us to do, as long as we have the heart to try with all our being, and to believe and trust in God with our whole heart.

Remember that the disciples did not get the Holy Spirit of power till Pentecost, so from the time that Christ was raised till He returned to the Father was a period of 40 days during which Christ had to reinforce the things He had taught them. Christ taught them about the kingdom of God during this time.

The Spirit of truth was with the disciples from the time that Christ was raised it then was in the disciples from the day of Pentecost.

Notice that the disciples already had the earnest of the Spirit, but were awaiting ANOTHER COMFORTER.

Which was the Holy Spirit of power.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever

Now notice that the Spirit of power was with them and shall be in you……when would the spirit be in them……when it was given at Pentecost until then, it was with them from the time Christ breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit” teaching them and opening their minds to understand the truth.

Joh 20:22  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Joh 14:17  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Now let’s look at the amazing parallel between the 40 days from the time Christ was raised till when Christ was taken up to the Father, then the remaining 10 days till Pentecost. And the 40 days of searching out the Promised Land by Joshua, Caleb and the other 10 spies.

The receiving of the Holy Spirit is eternal life, the Promised Land pictured eternal life.

The disciples spent the 40 days learning from Christ about the kingdom of God.

Act 1:3  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

The spies searched the Promised Land for forty days.

Num 13:1  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 13:2  “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.”

Num 13:3  So Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel.

Num 13:25  And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.

These are the things that they were to look for when they searched the Promised Land.

Num 13:18  and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many;

Num 13:19  whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds;

Num 13:20  whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

They spent 40 days searching the Promised Land, and it was a land flowing with milk and honey and it had very good produce.

The spies give the report of what they found.

Num 13:27  Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

Num 13:28  Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

Num 13:29  The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

Remember this was a type of eternal life, it was a type of the kingdom of God. Now what happened? Notice the attitude of Caleb, he had no fear, and was full of courage and strength.

Num 13:30  Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

Two of the spies Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report, but the other 10 thought it was far too harsh for them, it was too hard to take, and it posed too many problems for them.

Num 13:31  But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”

Num 13:32  And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.

Num 13:33  There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

These 10 spies now stirred up the people into rebellion with their weak attitudes, and unthankfulness and lack of faith and trust in God.

Num 14:1  So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.

Num 14:2  And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!

Num 14:3  Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Num 14:4  So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

Num 14:5  Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

Joshua and Caleb tried their best to subdue the people and explain that they could easily enter the land and conquer it, if they only relied on God and had faith.

Num 14:6  But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes;

Num 14:7  and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.

Num 14:8  If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’

Num 14:9  Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.”

Now notice that Caleb had a different spirit with him, just as the disciples had the spirit with them and later were to have it in them, so too Caleb would eventually have the Holy Spirit of power in him.

Joh 14:17  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Today it is the same, the knowledge of eternal life does not come easily, but with faith and trust in God we can easily overcome the obstacles in our path. The 10 spies looked only at the obstacles, they failed to see God in the picture, and that the Promised Land was a gift from God.

Joshua and Caleb on the other hand, saw the obstacles but paid them no heed, and thought they could easily overcome them, and that they were nothing. Gaining the Promised Land was to them a prize worth striving for, worth fighting for, and giving their life for, if it was required. They brought back a good report of the land God had given to them.

Today the knowledge of eternal life, begins with the correct understanding of the Passover and knowledge of who the Father and Christ are.

This knowledge is foreign to all members in the church, just as the Promised Land was unknown to the Israelites, it takes courage, strength and faith, to believe the knowledge of eternal life. Most people today are scared of it, it is too hard for them, and they simply won’t hear it.

Knowledge of the Philadelphian era of the church has to be left behind, as we become the Laodicean era of the church, the new knowledge for that era has to be learned.

This is new knowledge for everyone…all things will be restored……it is new knowledge restored for the end time era of the church…… We have not come this way before.

Jos 3:4  Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

This 40 day period is:

When the spies searched the Promised Land and those that missed out found it too hard too many problems and far too much for them.

Joshua and Caleb found it fabulous and with the help of God easily taken, they had strength courage and faith.

A time when Christ taught the disciples about the kingdom of God, the path to eternal life is not easy, but with the help of God, they were able to overcome it. It will require strength, courage and faith.

Today, for us, the path to eternal life, is hard, we have to overcome many obstacles, but with faith strength and courage we can do it.

The knowledge of eternal life is new to us and we must be prepared to leave behind old knowledge, and cross the Jordan, and accept the new knowledge awaiting us in the Promised Land.

This forty day period also is a testing ground, to see if we want the Holy Spirit of Power, it has not been given to us during the 40 days, but is a final testing period to see if we want it. The 10 spies checked out the Promised Land for 40 days, but did not want it, Joshua and Caleb did.

The disciples also learned about the Kingdom of God for 40 days, they knew what was in stall for them too, during this time they could decide if they wanted to receive the Holy Spirit of power.

After the forty days of final testing, comes the 10 days, during which time Christ left the disciples and went to the Father.

Act 1:3  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

This time was spent praising and blessing God.

Luk 24:52  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

Luk 24:53  and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

The following are some of the verses Christ was referring to when He said about the prophets.

Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Mat 1:23  “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which is translated, “God with us.”

This verse in Isaiah.

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isa 7:15  Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.

Isa 7:16  For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.

Mat 2:5  So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

Mat 2:6  ‘BUT YOU, BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, ARE NOT THE LEAST AMONG THE RULERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’ ”

This found in Micah.

Mic 5:2  “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Mat 2:15  and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”

This in Hosea.

Hos 11:1  “When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.

Mat 2:17  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

Mat 2:18  “A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, LAMENTATION, WEEPING, AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN, REFUSING TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO MORE.”

This verse in Jeremiah.

Jer 31:15  Thus says the LORD: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.”

Mat 3:3  For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: ‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’ ”

In Isaiah.

Isa 40:3  The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

Mat 4:14  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

Mat 4:15  “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES:

In Isaiah.

Isa 9:1  Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.

Mat 8:17  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND BORE OUR SICKNESSES.”

In Isaiah.

Isa 53:4  Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

Isa 53:5  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Psa 8:5  For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.